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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mark · file · bear · cap · hand · bay · patient · temple

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. file — a tool
  8. file — a line of people
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. hand — help
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. cap — a lid
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. file — a document
  20. cap — a hat
  21. cap — of ice
  22. hand — in cards
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com